July 25, 2025June 26, 2025 by admin

Crossing Sides Of Town

Baseball
2005 World Series, 2016 World Series, Adam Dunn, ALDS, Angels, Aroldis Chapman, A's, Astros, Austin Jackson, Billy Koch, Blue Jays, Bob Howry, Brad Keller, Braves, Brent Lillibridge, Brewers, Brian McRae, Carlos Lee, Charlotte Knights, Chuck McElroy, Clayton Richard, Clint Frazier, Codi Heuer, Craig Kimbrel, Cubs, Darren Lewis, Dave Martinez, David Aardsma, Derek Holland, Diamondbacks, Dioner Navarro, Dodgers, Draft, Dylan Cease, Edwin Jackson, Eloy Jimenez, Emilio Bonifacio, Expos, George Bell, Geovany Soto, Giants, Harold Baines, Indians, Iowa Cubs, Jaime Navarro, Jake Fox, Jake Marisnick, Jake Peavy, James Russell, Jason Bere, Jason Marquis, Javier Vazquez, Jeff Gray, Jeff Samardzija, Jon Garland, Jon Jay, Jose Quintana, Josh Paul, Juan Pierre, Kenny Lofton, Kosuke Fukudome, Kris Bryant, Lance Johnson, Luis Valbuena, Luis Vizcaino, Mariners, Matt Garza, Matt Karchner, Miguel Montero, Mike Olt, Mitch WIlliams, MLB, MVP, Nationals, Neal Cotts, Nick Madrigal, Nick Swisher, NLCS, Padres, PEDs, Phillies, Pirates, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Rookie Of The Year Award, Royals, Ryan Sweeney, Ryan Tepera, Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa, Scott Eyre, Tom Gordon, Vance Law, Victor Caratini, Welington Castillo, White Flag Trade, White Sox, Wild Card, Will Ohman, Yankees
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So far in 2025, Brad Keller, Mike Tauchman, Nicky Lopez, and Reese McGuire pushed the total of players I’ve seen take the field in person for both the Cubs and the White Sox to 47. With the final round of crosstown kicking off tonight at Rate Field, here’s a look at those players, in alphabetical order.

David Aardsma

After posting a decent season with the Cubs in 2006, Aardsma was traded to the White Sox for Neal Cotts. Aardsma lasted one season with the Sox, where he was unable to duplicate his success from the year before.

Jason Bere

Drafted by the White Sox in the 36th round in 1990, Bere debuted with the big-league club in 1993, finishing 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting. After an All Star selection in 1994, injuries marred the remainder of his tenure on the South Side, which ended in 1998. He resurfaced with the Cubs in 2001 and had a decent season, but he went 1-10 in 2002 before being let go.

Emilio Bonifacio

Bonifacio spent back-to-back partial seasons in Chicago, first for the Cubs in 2014 after signing as a free agent, where he played decently enough to be flipped at the trade deadline, along with James Russell, to the Braves for a young catching prospect by the name of Victor Caratini. He returned to Chicago in 2015, signing with the White Sox, where he he did not do well at all, hitting .167 in 47 games before being released in August.

Welington Castillo

Debuting with the Cubs in 2010, Castillo spent time behind the plate for the Cubs until May of 2015, when, having been replaced in the starting lineup by Miguel Montero, he was flipped to the Mariners. He returned to Chicago in 2018 after signing with the White Sox as a free agent. On May 24th of that season, he was suspended 80 games for a violation of the PED policy. The White Sox then cut bait following the 2019 season, shipping him off to the Rangers.

Neal Cotts

Acquired by the White Sox in the Billy Koch trade, he debuted with the team in 2003. He was a key contributor in the bullpen during the 2005 championship season and was the only relief pitcher to appear in all 3 rounds of the playoffs that season. Following the 2006 season, he was traded to the Cubs for David Aardsma, and he spent the next 3 injury filled seasons on the North Side.

Scott Eyre

Joining the White Sox organization in a 1994 trade with the Rangers, he debuted with the big-league team in 1997. He split the next 4 seasons between the rotation and the bullpen, not to mention between Chicago and Charlotte, before being moved to the Blue Jays following the 2000 ALDS loss to the Mariners. He joined the Cubs as a free agent for the 2006 season and enjoyed 2 seasons of relative success, before falling apart in 2008, when he was traded to the Phillies.

Clint Frazier

After missing the second half of 2021 with an injury, Frazier was DFA’d by the Yankees. He signed a deal with the Cubs that offseason, though he notched just 45 plate appearances before being DFA’s once again. He chose to finish the year in the Cubs system before becoming a free agent following the season. After failing to catch on with the Rangers, he signed a minor league deal with the White Sox, eventually hitting .197 in 33 games with the big-league club.

Kosuke Fukudome Continue reading →

April 1, 2022 by admin

Moving On

Baseball
2022 Lockout, A.J. Pollock, ALDS, Astros, Codi Heuer, Craig Kimbrel, Cubs, Dodgers, Liam Hendriks, Nick Madrigal, White Sox
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Last July, with an eye towards the postseason, the White Sox acquired Craig Kimbrel from the Cubs for second baseman Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer. To put it mildly, it didn’t work out. Working mostly as a setup man to Liam Hendriks, Kimbril posted a 5.09 ERA in 24 appearances with the White Sox down the stretch and then gave up 2 earned runs in 2 innings against the Astros in the ALDS.

The White Sox picked up Kimbrel’s $16M option for 2022, looking to trade him and recoup some of the capital they spent to acquire him. Then, the lockout happened. When spring training camps opened with Kimbrel still on the roster, things looked dire. But, today, the White Sox announced they have traded Kimbrel to the Dodgers for outfielder A.J. Pollock.

Pollock should fill a hole in right field, though he has very little experience there. He also brings some needed pop against RHP, with an .802 career OPS against righties. Best of all, he saves the White Sox $3-6 million, which will likely come in handy come trade deadline. Kimbrel, hopefully, can regain his form by moving back into the closer role with the Dodgers.

Kimbrel’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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October 16, 2021October 14, 2021 by admin

2021 Final Pitching Leaders

Yesterday, we looked at the leaders in the 58 games I attended this year on the offensive side of the ball. With both League Championship Series in full swing today, it’s time to wrap up our look back at the 2021 season with the pitching leaders, starting with everyone’s favorite pitching statistic:

Wins

Name	Total
Lance Lynn	4
Michael Kopech	3
Dylan Cease	3
Dallas Keuchel	3
Reynaldo Lopez	3
Lucas Giolito	3

Losses

Name	Total
Carlos Rodon	4
Lance Lynn	3
Lucas Giolito	3
Dylan Cease	2
Reynaldo Lopez	2
Liam Hendriks	2
Jorge Alcala	2
Adbert Alzolay	2

ERA (> 6 IP)

Name	Total
Ryan Burr	1.08
Matt Foster	1.23
Alec Mills	1.35
Lance McCullers	1.63
Mike Minor	1.63

Strikeouts

Name	Total
Lance Lynn	76
Dylan Cease	75
Carlos Rodon	56
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July 30, 2021 by admin

A Flurry Of Activity

Baseball
Codi Heuer, Craig Kimbrel, Cubs, Draft, Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Mets, MVP, Nick Madrigal, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ryan Tepera, Tony LaRussa, Trevor Williams, White Sox, Wrigley Field
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The Cubs have seemingly turned Wrigley Field upside down, shook real hard, and let the pieces fall where they may. With less than an hour until the trade deadline, they’ve made two huge deals, sending closer Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox for second baseman Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer and, in a separate deal, sending Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to the Mets in exchange for Pete Crow-Armstrong.

The first move, along with yesterday’s acquisition of Ryan Tepera, fortifies the White Sox bullpen as they look towards October baseball, giving them two All Star closers to choose from as Tony LaRussa sees fit. Madrigal, the fourth overall selection in the 2018 draft, should hold down second base on the north side for years to come, assuming he can stay healthy. He’s been out since early June with a hamstring tear and is expected to be ready for spring training. Heuer has been a workhorse, and is the pitcher I’ve seen in the most games this year, but has gotten knocked around a bit more than the White Sox expected.

Baez, the ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft and the runner in the 2018 MVP race, has been a centerpiece of the Cubs run these last 7 years, debuting in 2014 and cementing himself in the lineup in 2016. He is reunited with his friend and Team Puerto Rico teammate Francisco Lindor with the Mets. Crow-Armstrong was the first round selection of the Mets in the 2020 draft and is currently their 5th ranked prospect, according to MLB.com.

With all of this, the one guy everyone expected the Cubs to move, Kris Bryant, is the last man standing. Will something happen in these last couple of minutes? Time will tell.

July 15, 2021July 14, 2021 by admin

2021 All Star Break Pitching Leaders

The second half gets kicked off tonight, with the White Sox holding an 8 game lead in the AL Central and the Cubs looking to be sellers after losing 13 of their final 15 games heading in to the break, dropping them from first place to third, with an 8 game deficit. Let’s wrap up the first half with a look at the leaders on the defensive side of the ball for the 32 games I attended, starting with everyone’s favorite stat: